Dispensing arrangement



v June 1.3, 1944.

" .1. L. HIPPLE ET Al.

DISPENSING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 19, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 13, J, 1 HIPPLE 'E1-AL l DISPENSING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 19, 1942 5 sheets-sheet 2 l June 13, 1944.

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Patented June 13, 1944 DISPENSING ARRANGEMENT James L. Hipple, Frederick L. Dewey, and Burton F. Burnett, Canton, Ill., assgnors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 19, 1942, Serial No. 447,694

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing arrangements adapted for attachment to tractors or toolsupporting structures and, more' particularly, to a means for drivingly connecting together selfcontained, ground-driven material-dispensing units.

It is an object of the present invention to provide self-contained dispensing units adapted for attachment to transversely extending tool-attaching portions or tool bars for lateral adjustment thereon and means for the coupling together of the dispensing units whereby the ground drive wheel of one unit may drive the other dispensing unit.

It is another object of the invention to provide a material-dispensing arrangement which can be readily assembled and disassembled from a tool-supporting structure and at the same time easily adjustable laterally on the tool-supporting structure.

According to the present invention, self-contained, ground-driven, material-dispensing units are adapted for independent attachment to a transversely extending tool-attaching portion or tool bar and in such a manner that the same may be laterally adjustable thereon. Each of said material-dispensing units includes a ground drive wheel adapted for driving the same and, in order to maintain simultaneous dispensing of material, the ground drive wheel of one unit is attached to the ground drive wheel of the other unit. Should one of the ground drive wheels of a unit be momentarily cleared of the ground, the unit will still be driven by the ground drive wheel of the other unit. There is a separable connection between the ground drive wheels whereby the units may be readily separated from or attached to one another as they are detached from the tool bar. This separable connection means includes the provision of telescoping parts respectively carried by the units. The ground drive wheel also serves as a means for gauging the working position of the dispensing unit and of the tool bar. On the bracket structure, which connects the ground drive wheel to the tool bar, is mounted a manually adjustable means for vertically adjusting the ground drive wheel. This adjustable means is thus carried by the bracket structure and forms a part of the unit and hence is adjustable laterally along the tool bar with the unit. Its lever is accessible to the operator at the operators station on the tool-supporting structure.

For other objects and for a better understand ing of the invention, reference may be had to the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: y

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a tractor with one wheel removed and with the dispensing unit embodying the features of the present invention connected thereto;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rear portion of the tractor and of the dispensing arrangement;

Figure 3 is a large detail view of a single material-dispensing unit and illustrating its attachment to a transverse tool bar; and

Figure 4 is a detail arrangement of the separable connection means arranged for connecting together the ground wheels of the laterally spaced dispensing units.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a tractor I0 having a rear portion II with a transversely extending rear axle structure I2 support ed on rear traction Wheels I3. Located on the rear portion II is an operators station I4 accessible to a steering wheel I5.

Connected to the rear axle structure I2 by quick-attachable means I6, well known in the art, is a supporting frame structure I1 having a vertically movable, transversely extending tool bar I8 carried by vertically extending members I9 which are in turn connected to the frame structure I'I by means of upper and lower links 20 and 2|. Both ends of these links are respectively pivotally connected to the vertically extending members IS and the frame structure I1 to allow for free vertical movement of the tool bar with respect to the tractor. It should now be apparent that the tractor and the tool-supporting frame with its vertically movable tool bar I8 provide in their entirety a tool-supporting structure to which self-contained, ground-driven, material-dispensing units 22 may be readily attached.

The tool bar or attaching portion I8 with the material-dispensing units on the same can be vertically moved to a transport position on the tractor. This is effected by the usual fluid lift-f ing arrangement including power-operated devices 23 located respectively at opposite sides of the tractor and arranged to react against the rear axle structure I2 by being anchored to the quick-attachable means thereon, as indicated at 24. rllhe forward end of these power-operated devices is supported on fore anda-it swingable links 25 pivoted at 25 on a fluid supply housing 21 carried within the body of the tractor I0 forwardly of the rear axle structure I2. Fluid'is delivered from the fluid supply source to the power-operated devices 23 by means of fluid communications 28. When it is desired to extend the fluid-operated devices. 23, the operator, seated on the operators station I4, thrusts forwardly a control rod 29, which is connected to an arm extending from the fluid supply housing 21 within the tractor.

As these power-operated devices are extended, connecting links 3l are carried forwardly to rotate a rockable structure 32 pivoted on the supporting frame I1 and connected respectively by means of lifting links 33 and 34 to the lower links 2| of the tool-supporting structure. The lifting link 33 includes an adjustable mechanism 35 accessible to the operator's station I4 for leveling the tool bar I8, there being looseness in the connection of the links with the vertical frame structure I1 and the vertically extending members I9.

The rockable structure 32 includes a transversely l extending rock-shaft 36, through which horizontal stabilization of the tool bar is effected, the power-operating devices 23 being of the single acting type and their pistons being freely slidable when the uid in their cylinder has been returned to the fluid-supply source. Freedom of movement of the tool bar is possible at all times except when the power-operated devices 23 have been extended to effect lifting of the tool bar I8 and its attached units to a transverse position :on the tractor, as when the operator pushes Y forwardly on the control rod 29.

Referring now particularly to Figure 3, there is shown the material-dispensing unit which is adapted for attachment to the transverse tool bar I8. This unit includes a vertically extending supporting bracket 31 bent rearwardly at its upper end and having intermediate its ends a V- shaped notch 38 adapted to t over a portion of the tool bar I8, This tool bar is of square crosssection, and the notch 38 extends over two of the sides of the tool bar. The bracket 31 is rigidly retained on the tool bar by a clamping plate 39 and clamping boltsv40 adapted to be secured to the bracket 31. It will be apparent that this form of clamping arrangement with the unit may be located at any location transversely on the tool bar and that the same may be readily removed from or attached to the tool bar I8. Connected to the lower end of the bracket 31 is a furrowopening structure 4I braced at its upper end by a bracing element 42. This furrow-opening structure trails rearwardly from the bracket structure to receive a seed spout 43 provided for the delivery of seed or other material from a seed or material container 44 supported on the upper and rearwardly turned end of thebracket structure 31. Since the dispensing of this unit is to take place on a ridge, where it is desired to provide for smoothening oi of the top surfaces, there are laterally extending wing scraping elements 45 on the furrow-opening structure.

The container 44 hasV a drive mechanism 46 adapted to be driven in order to insure constant ow of seed and material from the container to the delivery spout 43. This means, adapted to be driven, includes a sprocket 41 which is connected by means of a chain 48 to a multiple sprocket 49 journaled on the bracket structure 31 in a journal bearing 56. From this multiple sprocket 49 is extended a chain 5I adapted to be driven from a sprocket 52 on a ground drive wheel 53. It should now be apparent that the parts 46 of the seed container 44, adapted to be driven, can be driven by the ground drive wheel 53 and that drive connections need not be made directly with the tractor for driving these parts 46. There is an advantage in a ground-driven seed arrangement over types that are driven directly from the tractor, and that is that an adjustment of the ratio of drive of the driving mechanism need not be altered for the different tractors or for the different sizes of vwheels that are disposed on the tractors. Since the units are self-contained and always have the same size driving Wheel, the

- driving ratio of the driving mechanism remains fixed. Also, a clutch for the driving mechanism is not necessary for the ground-driven type, since the ground-driven type will automaticaly be shut oif as the units are raised to the transport position and the drive wheel is taken out of contact with the ground.

The supporting ground drive wheel 53 is journaled on an arm 54 which is in turn pivoted on the journal bearing 5D, and it is thus vertically adjustable with respect to the runner structure 4I. In order to vary the Aplanting depth of the unit, manually adjustable mechanism 55 is carried by the bracket structure and includes a lever 56 extending forwardly and accessible to the operators station I4 on the tractor. This lever 56 is pivoted at 51 to a sub-bracket 58 secured to the upper end of the bracket 31. The lever 56 has an arm 59 which is connected by means of a link .60 to the supporting arm 54 of the supporting wheel 53. It should be apparent that as the lever 56 is adjusted, the wheel 53 will be adjusted. The lever 56 has a detent mechanism 6I adapted to engage a quadranty 62, also carried by the bracket structure 31. It should be apparent that with a unit of this type thev supporting wheel 53 also serves as a gauging wheel for the tool bar I8 to which tools are connected, and that this gauging wheel 53 is carried on the same bracket structure on which the manually adjustable mechanism is carried, so that both will be adjustable laterally along the tool bar as a unit. Such a gauging arrangement has advantages over other types of connections of gauging units and adjusting mechanisms to tool bars. One is that separate brackets for the manual adjusting mechanism and the supportingl or gauging element need not be provided and consequently that more adjustability can be had `of such arrangement on the tool bar, since the tool bar will not be cluttered up with multiple bracket structures.

In order to perfect the driving arrangement of multiple dispensing units disposed on a transverse tool bar, there has been provided a separable connection between the ground drive wheels 53 of the respective units, whereby the ground wheel of one unit will serve to drive the ground wheel of the other unit when the ground wheel, of the latter unit is out of contact with the ground. to thereby insure proper dispensing of seeds Yor material of both units at all times. The separable means is shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 4 and includes telescoping parts `64 and 65 slidable one within the other. These parts rare connected respectively through universal joints 66 and 61 with the respective axles 68 and 69 of the ground drive wheels 53 of the respective units. Should one of the ground drive wheels 53 leave the ground, drive will be made through the telescoping parts with the drive wheel of the other unit. The telescoping part 64 is formed as a sleeve and has an opening of square cross-section adapted to receive the telescoping part 65 of solid square cross-section. Since the telescoping parts 64 and 165 overlap considerably, allowance is made for the lateral adjusting of the dispensing units on the tool bar I8. Also, inasmuch as the telescoping parts are easily engaged with or disengaged from each other, the units can be readily attached to or detached from the toolbar without any considerable time being necessary for 'loosening the driving connections between the units. Each unit is, except for the driving connections between the units, an independent and self-contained unit.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided in a planting or dispensing arrangement, a simple arrangement of self-contained planting or dispensing units, which are adaptable for independent attachment to the transverse supporting bar, and means wherein drive from one of the units may be taken from the drive of the other of the units to insure proper dispensing of seed or other material by the entire arrangement, whereby dispensing arrangements of the ground-driven type have been improved.

While various changes may be made in the construction disclosed, it will be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as dened in the appended claims.-

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a tractor having laterally `spaced rear wheels, of a tool-supporting frame .connected to the tractor to be supported thereby for vertical movement to and from working position, laterally spaced material dispensing units carried by the tool-supporting frame, laterally spaced ground drive wheels between said rear wheels, means drivingly connecting said ground drive wheels to said dispensing units, and means for connecting said ground drive wheels together,

whereby said dispensing units may be driven by one or the other of said ground drive wheels.

2. The combination with a tractor having laterally spaced rear wheels, of a tool-supporting frame connected to the tractor to be supported thereby for vertical movement to and from working position, laterally spaced material dispensing units carried by the tool-supporting frame and laterally adjustable thereon, laterally spaced ground drive wheels carried by said frame, the spacing between said drive wheels being less than the spacing between said tractor wheels, means drivingly connecting said ground drive wheels to said dispensing units, and telescoping means for connecting said ground drive wheels together, whereby said dispensing units may be driven by one or the other of said ground drive wheels.

3. The combination with a tractor having latn erally spaced rear wheels oi a tool-supporting frame connected to the tractor to be supported thereby for vertical movement to and from working position, said frame including a transverse tool bar, laterally spaced material dispensing units carried by the tool bar and laterally adjustable thereon, a ground drive wheel for each said dispensing unit, the spacing between said drive wheels being less than the spacing between said tractor wheels, means drivingly connecting said ground drive wheels to said dispensing units, and eXtensible means for connecting said drive wheels together, whereby said dispensing units may be driven by oneV or the other of said ground drive Wheels.

JAMES L. HIPPLE. FREDERICK L. DEWEY. BURTON F. BURNE'I'I.'P 

